Funding in Regeneration

Regeneration funding streams and grants

Regeneration funding in Scotland

AWARDS FOR ALL SCOTLAND

  • Funding: £13 million in 2006-07. Grants of between £500 and £5,000 are available.
  • Funder: Scottish Arts Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Sportscotland and the Big Lottery Fund.
  • Aim: To fund projects that actively involve people in their local community, bringing them together to take part in heritage, charitable, health, educational, environmental and other community activities.
  • Who Can Apply? Not-for-profit groups, parish/town councils, schools or health bodies. Applicants must be able to spend the grant within one year.
  • Deadline: Not fixed; rolling programme.
  • Contact:
    For an application pack:
    T 0845 600 2040.
    For enquiries:
    T 0870 240 2391
    W www.awardsfor all.org.uk

GRO GRANTS FOR OWNER OCCUPATION

  • Funding: £7.7 million in 2005-06. Maximum grants are 33 per cent of total project costs or 40 per cent in priority areas.
  • Funder: Communities Scotland.
  • Aim: To widen the choice of housing for people seeking to become home owners. The grants are designed to introduce home ownership into areas of largely public sector housing, and to provide affordable owner occupation for people in need in high-priced housing markets.
  • Who Can Apply? Private sector organisations that wish to invest in a building project in a deprived area or to provide affordable housing in high-priced areas, but which will not be able to proceed without external funding support.
  • Deadline: Not fixed; a rolling programme.
  • Contact:
    T     0131 313 0044 (for Local Communities Scotland offices - a list is available from headquarters)
    W www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk  

GROWING COMMUNITY ASSETS

  • Funding: £50 million 2006-09. Grants of between £10,000 and £1 million are available.
  • Funder: Big Lottery Fund Scotland.
  • Aim: To help local communities obtain, manage and improve assets that will help them become stronger and more sustainable. These are usually physical assets - land, buildings or equipment. Also to help communities get more out of their assets by providing them with skills and knowledge, technical and financial advice and planning tools.
  • Who Can Apply? Organisations that are independent, are set up to benefit a specific geographical area or community of interest, and are community-controlled. These might include community development trusts, community enterprises, community businesses, land initiatives, social firms and community-based housing associations.
  • Deadline: Not fixed; a rolling programme.
  • Contact:
    For an application pack; T 0870 240 2391
    For enquiries W www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

INTERREG IV

  • Funding: The programme has an overall budget of £202 million between 2007 and 2013.
  • Funder: European Regional Development Fund.
  • Aim: Interreg IV is the cross-border co-operation programme for Northern Ireland, the Irish Border Region and Western Scotland. Its overall aim is to "support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable region". The programme aims to strengthen and deepen cross-border co-operation, with an emphasis on supporting strategic projects to maximise the impact of the funds. It focuses on developing a dynamic economy, supporting infrastructure and promoting innovative ways of addressing cross-border problems.
  • Who Can Apply? The lead partner in any application to the programme should be a public sector body or specially designed private body. To be eligible for funding, non-public sector bodies must have been established to meet needs of public interest, rather than for industrial or commercial purposes. They should be largely financed by the state or other public body, and more than half of the managerial or supervisory board should be from public institutions. Applying organisations must be based in Northern Ireland, or in Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh, Arran & Cumbrae and Argyll & Bute, Dumfries & Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland, or South Ayrshire in Scotland, or Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo in the Irish Republic.
  • Deadline: Not applicable; rolling programme.
  • Contact:
    W http://www.seupb.eu/programmes.htm

INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES

  • Funding: £257 million has been allocated for the period 2006-2009. While there are no fixed amounts for individual grants, the Big Lottery Fund expects that the vast majority of grants awarded under the programme will be under £1 million, except in exceptional circumstances.
  • Funder: The Big Lottery Fund.
  • Aim: The overarching aim of the programme is to improve the lives of people living in the most deprived communities in Scotland. Specifically, the programme aims to: help communities to become stronger through helping them to invest in assets for their own use; support projects that help people deal with changes in their personal circumstances, such as redundancy; and invest in projects that enable people to cope with new patterns of life and the pace of change that many communities are experiencing. The Big Lottery Fund will also provide funding through its Investing in Ideas fund to help people develop their ideas to a level where they might attract funding under the Investing in Communities programme.
  • Who Can Apply? A wide range of Scottish organisations can apply for funding from the programme, including charities, voluntary and community groups, local authorities, social enterprises and health boards.
  • Deadline: 1 August 2008.
  • Contact:
    T 0870 240 2391
    W http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_investing-in-communities?regioncode=-sco&progStatus=open&country=%20%20Scotland&status=theProg&chan=funding&title=Investing%20In%20Communities

LIFE TRANSITIONS

  • Funding: The total amount of funding available is £35 million, with a minimum grant of £10,000 and a maximum of £1 million. Projects of up to five years in duration can be funded. Full project costs can be met. The final deadline for applications is 1 August. Funding is only available to projects in Scotland.
  • Funder: Big Lottery Fund in Scotland
  • Aim: The programme aims to support people during times of change in their lives, such as the transition from childhood to adulthood. In particular, the programme will support projects focusing on at least one of four key groups: young people leaving school or social care; people moving back into work or training after a period of unemployment; over 50-year-olds adapting to retirement or becoming less physically active; and people facing transitions at difficult times in their lives, such as recovering from drug or alcohol dependency, or getting out of debt.
  • Who Can Apply? Voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises, and public sector organisations operating in Scotland can all apply for funding. While private sector organisations can also apply for money, any grant that is awarded must not contribute directly to a company's profits. The Big Lottery Fund will only provide grants for projects that are for the public good and which are not intended for private gain.
  • Deadline: 1 August 2008
  • Contact:
    T     0870 240 2391
    W http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland/apply-sco.htm

LLOYDS TSB FOUNDATION FOR SCOTLAND

  • Funding: £6.7 million available in 2006. No minimum or maximum grant.
  • Funder: Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.
  • Aim: To address poverty; reduce isolation; promote family welfare, citizenship, social responsibility and independence; increase life skills; empower under-represented groups; and challenge prejudice.
  • Who Can Apply? Recognised charities in Scotland, or charities registered in the UK operating within Scotland.
  • Deadline: Six deadlines a year.
  • Contact:
    T     0870 902 1201
    W www.fundingthefuture.org.uk

REGIONAL SELECTIVE ASSISTANCE (RSA)

  • Funding: Over the five years to March 2006, businesses in Scotland have received £280 million in RSA. No minimum or maximum grant. New funding is dependent on the European Commission's regional aid settlement for 2007 and details are not yet available. Applications are still being accepted under current rules up to 31 December 2006, when new guidelines will come into place.
  • Funder: Scottish Executive's Department of Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
  • Aim: To encourage investment and job creation in the assisted areas of Scotland (which are designated for regional aid under European Community law).
  • Who Can Apply? Businesses of all sizes, across a range of sectors from manufacturing to software development to medical research.
  • Deadline: Not fixed. Any applications made up to 31 December 2006 will be accepted under 2000-06 funding rules.
  • Contact:
    T     0141 242 5675/6
    W www.rsascotland.gov.uk

SCOTTISH COMMUNITY ACTION RESEARCH

  • Funding: No funding is available through SCARF at present, though a further round is being considered for later on in 2008. See the website below for updates.
  • Funder: Communities Scotland.
  • Aim: To allow local groups to carry out their own research on community development, and develop knowledge and skills that help to improve their communities.
  • Who Can Apply? Charities, voluntary groups, community-based projects, or educational and other research groups that are working on community-led projects.
  • Deadline: Stage 2 grants are awarded twice a year, in March and September, and stage 1 grants are awarded every six weeks. Exact deadlines for applications can be found on the Communities Scotland website. SCARF is currently under review for a relaunch later in 2006.
  • Contact:
    W http://www.scdc.org.uk/scarf/ 

Scottish Investment Fund

  • Funding: The Scottish Government will provide an initial £30 million, approximately half of which is expected to be allocated on a loan basis. It will therefore be a recycling fund, operating beyond the current spending review period (2008-2011). Further investment, potentially from a range of sources including the private sector, may be added to the pot in the future. The Scottish Government is working with social economy loan fund Social Investment Scotland on how much can be allocated to each organisation. At present, the Government anticipates the ratio in most cases will be approximately 50 per cent grant and 50 per cent loan.
  • Funder: The Scottish Government revealed it would establish and fund this new third sector investment fund in June this year. It has appointed Social Investment Scotland to operate the fund.
  • Aim: To create a more financially sustainable, enterprising and businesslike third sector. Funding will be awarded to help social enterprises extend their services to more people and therefore aid the Scottish Government in meeting national targets, including providing better work and training opportunities.
  • Who Can Apply? Scotland-based third sector organisations that are deemed to be investment-ready and already showing a high level of development. Around 60 to 80 "significant investments" are expected to be made between 2008 and 2011.
  • Deadline: Applications will be accepted from 1 September.
  • Contact: For more information, visit www.socialinvestmentscotland.com.

SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE (SNH) GRANTS

  • Funding: On average, £12.5 million a year. Maximum grant amount is discretionary. Most grants cover 50 per cent of eligible expenditure, but this is discretionary.
  • Funder: Scottish Executive; grants administered by Scottish Natural Heritage.
  • Aim: To help sustain and conserve Scotland's natural landscapes and environmental heritage, using a suite of grant schemes.
  • Who Can Apply? Varies for each grant. Voluntary and community groups, land managers and local authorities are encouraged to apply.
  • Deadline: 1 September 2006.
  • Contact:
    T     01738 458 677 F 01738 458 627
    E grants@snh.gov.uk
    W www.snh.org.uk/about/ab-grants01.asp

SUPPORTING 21st CENTURY LIFE

  • Funding: Worth a total of £35 million over five years, with grants ranging from £10,000 to £1 million. The next deadline for outline applications is August this year. Supporting 21st Century Life will fund projects for up to five years and is able to cover their full costs.
  • Funder: Big Lottery Fund
  • Aim: The programme aims to fund Scottish projects that enable people and communities to make and maintain connections, build and develop relationships, and plan for the future. The emphasis is on reaching the most isolated groups in society and therefore those most unlikely to receive support from other sources. The Big Lottery Fund particularly welcomes proposals that: support people facing difficult parenting challenges, especially lone parents, step-families, fathers, and grandparents; improve understanding of people's changing needs as users of support services; encourage people from different generations to spend more time together; and give advice and information to increase relationships between people and contact between generations.
  • Who Can Apply? All voluntary and community groups, public sector organisations and social enterprises in Scotland are eligible for funding. In addition, private sector organisations in Scotland can apply for funding, although any grant they receive must not contribute directly to the company's profits.
  • Deadline: 1 August 2008
  • Contact:
    T 0870 240 2391
    W http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland/apply-sco.htm